The Whore & The Virgin

Chapter 8

Hey guys its azalaya here.. sorry for no update Thursday! Here ya go though... CHAPTER 8

Song- First Date by Blink 182

Pic- Liana

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Liana

The second I got into the car, I felt like my hands were going to sweat themselves off. Yea, sweat because I was so nervous I could feel my body giving off heat.

  Angel didn't seem to notice though, and he looked perfectly fine. He doesn't ask me where I want to go. Apparently he has it all figure out. We drive in silence to a restaurant that I haven't even heard of before. It looks kinda fancy from the outside... I'm not dressed right, oh god, what if it's like a really fancy black tie restaurant?! Surely he would have told me that, right? Oh god oh god oh god.

  He comes around the car to open my door for me and I smile nervously. He leads me into the place and I'm immediately calmed by all the people in jeans and raggedy t-shirts. At least I look nicer than them.

  The hostess leads us to a table and a waitress immediately comes to take or drink orders. This place is pretty efficient.

  "So.." I start, struggling for words. Suddenly a lightbulb appears and I roll up my sleeve, glancing at my arm under the table. Thank you Buffy... I stare down at all the information she's scrawled on my arm. Tips..smile...do's..do not's.. Ah! Conversation starters!

  "So," I begin again, a bit more confident, "What do like to do for fun?"

I don't get the chance to hear an answer though, for a dashingly handsome waiter comes to our table. "'Ello my name is Jack and I will be your server this evening. Can I get you anything to drink?" he asks with a big, fake smile.

For whatever reason, he reminds me of Buffy. Although, it could just be my paranoia, and the fact that I could swear I keep seeing her isn't helping. I thought I had seen her in the parking lot, and hiding behind the partition in the restaurant and-- Oh my god! there she is again! The waitress serving entrees at table six looks exactly like her! She's even wearing the same clothes that I think I saw Buffy wearing earlier today, I mean what are the odds?

"Liana?" Angel questions, waving a hand in my face.

"Hm?" I finally come back to reality from my Buffy-induced paranoia. "Oh, uh, sweet tea please."

"Sure thing sweet pea. Any appetizers? We serve a great garlic knot plate with garlic sauce. Or even garlic fries with extra garlic."

Angel opens his mouth to respond, but I quickly shake my head vigorously, remembering Buffy's notes on my forearm: "Garlic ruins a date quicker than rape. Avoid at all costs!!!"

"Very well," Jack sighs, defeated. "i'll give you two a moment to look over the menu." He gives a little bow and and begins to walk towards the kitchen. I wonder where the Buffy-look-alike-waitress went?

**********

In the kitchen...

"So?"

"He didn't budge. Your friend --Liana was it?-- stopped him from answering."

Buffy groans and hands an order slip from Table 3 to the chef. 

"Hold the tomatoes on that rueben, they were very specific," she mentions before turning back to Jack. "You gotta try harder! I cannot sit by and let my dearest friend go on with a guy like him. I mean-"

She's interrupted as another woman jogs up to her. "Do you mind covering my tables Buffy? My kid's in the hospital. Apparently he's broken his shoulder playing with an exercise ball. Damn it Jacob..." 

"Yeah Maureen, I got you. Anyway Jack, as I was saying-"

"PICK UP FOR TABLE 12!!!"

"That's me, gotta rush before the ravioli gets cold. Just get Angel to spill the beans!!" Buffy stresses.

"Yes m'am," Jack salutes. "How are you so good at this. Have you ever been a waitress before ten minutes ago?"

"Nope," Buffy gives him a goofy grin, balancing a tray on her palm. "I'm just a great actress, and I watched a lot of True Blood growing up. I've got good-looking waitress down pat. Now get back out there and don't give up until he confesses to-"

"TABLE 12!!!"

"God damn it, I've gotta dash; just hurry!"

*************

Back with Liana

Our waiter returns with our drinks. He asks a few more pressing questions about our entrees before scuttling off back to the kitchen. Man this place is weird...

"So Liana, is there anything you'd like to talk about?"

I glance momentarily at the list of conversation starters helpfully scrawled by Buffy onto my-

Oh no...

My nervous sweating made my notes smudge! I can't read a single word!

"Uh..um.. l-lovely weather we're-"

Crash! Boom!

Thunder and lightening rage outside, announcing the coming storm.

I clear my throat, looking shamefully at my lap. This is a disaster...

All I had to keep me going was Buffy's extensive list of notes. Now they're ruined and I'm flailing! Girl overboard! Send help! S.O.S!

Speaking of Buffy.... her look-a-like is back, delivering ravioli to the table next to ours. She seems to linger longer than necessary. I tear my gaze from her as our food arrives.

"Oh, excuse me," Angel says, stopping our waiter before he leaves. "Can I get a little extra garlic on my-"

"Aha!!" the Buffy look-a-like whirs around, pointing an accusing finger at Angel. "I caught you! I knew it! You disgusting piece of-"

"Buffy?!" I exclaim in shock as all the pieces fall into place. My friend high-fives our waiter (who was apparently in on this?!)

Logan stumbles out from behind the partition, a bread roll hanging out of his mouth.

"What the hell is going on here?!" I demand.

"There is no need to worry my pet. I am here to save you from this potential scandal. You see I heard from Tiffany who heard from Georgia who heard from Howard who heard from Mackenzie that Angel-"

"I don't care! Why would you possibly think that this is okay?!"

"Hey! I was helping-"

"No! No, just shut up! I don't care! No matter what you say, nothing could justify any of this! Can't you just butt out and let me do this myself?" 

"You wouldn't even be on this date if it wasn't for me! Just listen L, you need to know, he-"

"No! I don't need to know anything! And I definitely don't need you meddling in my personal life! I can do this on my own. Just...go."

"But-"

"Go!" I yell, more furious now than I have ever been. More than that, I'm hurt that my best friend would go to such lengths to try to ruin my date.

Buffy flinches at my acidic tone and I think I even see tears in her eyes. Buffy doesn't cry, at least not in public. She has way too much pride for that. Usually I would comfort her and make sure she's alright, but I'm too angry to feel bad for her.

She looks apologetically up to Jack and turns to leave with Logan trailing behind her like a dog chasing a bone.

Everyone in the restaurant is gaping at me or whispering to each other. Great...As if my date wasn't going bad enough as it is...